Lateral actuator for a dispenser of a cosmetics container

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an actuating device for a device for dispensing a fluid product, the dispensing device including a receptacle having an opening at the upper end thereof, a dispensing member ( 1 ) being mounted in said opening, the dispensing member ( 1 ) including a cylindrical push member ( 3 ) which has a vertical axis ( 3   a ), and the upper end of which extends vertically upward. Exerting pressure on the upper end of the push member ( 3 ) triggers the egress of the fluid product from the container via the dispensing member ( 1 ).

The present invention relates to a lateral actuation system intended to be connected to, or mounted on a device for dispensing a fluid product, said device itself being connected to or mounted on a container containing the fluid to be dispensed, which may be a liquid or a viscous product. The actuation of this dispensing device makes it possible to extract the fluid from the container, said fluid being dispensed through a dispensing orifice.

Usually, the dispensing device consists of a body that encloses the mechanism and is mounted fixedly on the neck of the container. The dispensing device also comprises an axially movable push button. Generally, the push button is actuated downwardly by the index finger and it is not always easy to hold the container and press the push button at the same time, the force needed to actuate the dispensing device often being significant (around 2 kg) and lacking ease of use.

A number of patents which allow axial depression of the dispensing device by way of a system for converting the axial movement by way of a lateral thrust are known from the prior art.

The European patent EP 0385863 A1 describes a cap for a spray bottle provided with a control device fixed to the push button, consisting of a fastening skirt that is extended by actuating members of the lever and/or lug type to which the skirt is connected by a flexible part. Under the effect of a lateral thrust on said actuating means, the push button is axially depressed. The lateral thrust is applied via fins or half-shells by way of the thumb and the index finger. The effect of this thrust is to pivot levers and tabs, causing the actuation of the dispensing part by also deforming the flexible part of the cap.

The European patent EP 0734968 A1 is also known, said patent describing a spray head also comprising two levers, the latter being connected together by a connecting piece having at least one flexible part. This flexible part has a central piece that projects above the spray push button and is in contact therewith at rest. The pivoting of the two levers about an axis located above the connecting piece deforms the latter and triggers the mechanism.

The abovementioned devices are characterized by levers, fins or tabs which, by pivoting, quite often introduce a fairly complex deformation of a flexible element. If, as in the case of the patent WO 01/26995 A1, there is no deformation but only the pivoting of lugs or tabs, or, as in the case of the patent GB 1256001, the deformation of the articulated tabs, fixed to the push button, is low, these designs require a significant overall height that is necessary for the lever effect.

The use of these devices is not always satisfactory and, in the case of some uses, has major drawbacks, in particular (which may explain the limited commercial success of these devices with respect to the utility thereof):

-   A bulky geometry associated with the lever effects and with the     space necessary for the deformation of the flexible elements. This     size is not always compatible with the attractive appearance of     bottles in particular of perfume. -   On account of the necessary and often multiple deformations, these     systems often require a greater force than if the force had been     simply axial as in traditional systems, this being out of place with     the desired sensation of comfort. -   A lateral travel that is often large and uncomfortable in order to     realize the complete travel of the dispensing member. -   An additional manufacturing cost linked to the complexity of the     deformation elements, to the number thereof and to the assembling of     more or less complex components, this additional cost quite often     being unacceptable in the case of long production runs where a low     cost price and component geometries that can be realized at low cost     are desired.

The present invention thus proposes the provision of a lateral actuation system that does not have the abovementioned drawbacks according to the prior art and has the object of allowing ease of use associated with the lateral actuation while reducing the deformations that are necessary therefor, allowing flexible operation that reduces the sensation of effort, and also a reduced size that does not require a specific cap shape and is thus applicable for luxury products such as devices for diffusing perfume or cream while also limiting the number of components.

Given this prior art, the set objective of the present invention is a lateral actuation system intended to be connected to or mounted on a container containing the fluid to be dispensed, which may be a liquid or a viscous product, and having:

-   A member for dispensing a fluid product, such as a pump or a valve     on which an axially movable push button that actuates the dispensing     member is mounted. -   A dispensing orifice connected to the dispensing member. -   A cap or protective element fixed on the container or the dispensing     member. -   A flexible actuating element (elastic knee lever type) secured to or     independent of the push button, said actuating element being     inserted inside said cap and bearing during its actuation against     the internal upper limit of said cap or any element that can act as     an end stop, optionally perforated for example in the form of a     stirrup, and being able optionally to extend beyond the latter     through one or more slots. This end-stop principle allows an     action/reaction effect, thus allowing the flexible element to     release the lateral force directly and only onto the dispensing push     button. This has the advantage of thereby limiting the lateral     actuating travel in order to realize the entire travel necessary for     the dispensing member to operate correctly.

In addition, in contrast to all of the prior art, this architecture makes it possible to channel the lateral force toward the bottom of the dispensing push button and not onto the top as is usual. This has the result of considerably reducing the size of the actuating system and of it then being possible to store volumes identical to the traditional actuating systems of dispensing push buttons protected by a cap. Similarly, as this architecture lengthens the dimension of the arms of the flexible element, the actuating force thereof is reduced.

In this regard, the laterally dispensing movable push button may be extended downwardly under the fluid output zone of the dispensing member in order to form a shoulder and the end stop, said end stop comprising an upper part integral with said push button and a lower part having a bearing zone.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal axial section of the lateral actuation system at rest according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the same view, the lateral actuation system being activated this time.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the lateral actuation system at rest.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a variant of the present invention, the flexible piece and the dispensing push button being produced in one piece.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second variant of the flexible element.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a third variant.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate an adaptation of the above variants.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate another variant of the system according to the invention using ears, and

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate another variant of the system according to the invention, the flexible element having four points of flexing.

With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the lateral actuation system according to the present invention has, in this nonlimiting exemplary embodiment, a fluid dispensing member (in this case a metering pump), denoted in its entirety by the reference numeral 1, which is positioned on the container 2, generally made of glass or plastics material and containing the product intended to be dispensed. The dispensing member 1 may be a pump or a valve. It is surmounted by a dispensing push button 3 which is extended downwardly. The extension is represented here by a shoulder 4 and an end stop 5. However, this extension may have the same diameter as the top of the push button. The dispensing push button 3 is conceived in such a way that the shoulder 4 or the downward extension thereof largely covers all of the dispensing member 1, the remaining space 5 a (FIG. 2) between the bottom of the skirt of the actuated push button and the shoulder of the bottle being very small, possibly being less than 5 mm or even 1 mm, as the result of optimization of the length of the flexible element 7 in the actuated position. The lateral actuation system according to the present invention also has a cap 6 fixed firmly to the container 2, ideally by snap-fastening, adhesive bonding or screwing. In the present FIG. 1, snap-fastening is shown at 11. In another variant, the cap 6 may also be fixed directly to the dispensing member 1 and not to the container 2. Located between the cap 6 and the dispensing push button 3 is the flexible actuation element (of the elastic knee lever type) 7. This flexible element 7 ideally comes into abutment in its upper part 18 against the internal upper limit 8 of said cap 6. According to the representation in FIG. 1, the flexible element 7 has at least two points of flexing 12 and 14 of the knee lever type. The two bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible actuating element 7 extend beyond the cap 6 through two openings 10 made in said cap 6, ideally one opposite the other. The cap 6 fulfills a number of functions. Its first conventional function is to conceal and protect the dispensing member 1. According to the present invention, the cap also serves as a bearing or abutment point for the flexible element 7 in order to allow the actuating element force to be transmitted only toward the bottom of the dispensing push button in the region of the end stop 5. This abutment principle allows an action/reaction effect, thereby allowing the flexible element to release the lateral force directly and only onto the dispensing push button without any other contrivance or deformation than the lever effect thus generated at the knee lever at 12 and 14 of the flexible element 7.

In order to actuate the dispensing member 1, and thus to diffuse the fluid contained in the container 2, it is necessary to exert a pressure, ideally with the thumb and index finger, toward the center of the cap 6 at the two bearing surfaces 9. This pressure is directed from the two sides of the knee lever at 12, that is to say toward the top and the bottom of the flexible element 7. The flexible element 7 is blocked by the cap 6 in the region of the upper limit 8 of the latter, the forces canceling one another out and thus the entirety of this pressure being directed downward in the direction of the end stop 5 of the dispensing push button 7, thereby causing the actuation of the dispensing member 1. The fluid is dispensed by way of the dispensing push button, the dispensing orifice of which leads out of the cap 6 through the opening 13 created in said cap 6.

FIG. 2 shows the present invention when the fluid is dispensed. The deformation of the knee lever at 12 and 14 has allowed the flexible element 7 to open out and extend and to press against the end stop 5 of the dispensing push button 3. The dispensing push button is thus actuated in its bottom position. Through these two FIGS. 1 and 2, it can clearly be seen that the pressure exerted at the surfaces 9 is entirely and directly released at the bottom of the push button 4 on account of the end stop 8 and of the active deformation of the flexible element at 12 and 14, thereby considerably reducing the force for actuating the dispensing push button 3. Since the upper part of the flexible element 7 is fixed, the resulting axial travel is transmitted downwardly in its entirety in order to actuate the push button 4. In order to further facilitate the force sensation, areas of material with reduced thickness may be created on the flexible element 7 in particular in the region of the knee lever at 12 and 14. It will also be noted that the design of the present invention allows a limited size, the top of the dispensing push button 3 being able to be located at rest at least only 3 millimeters from the upper limit 8 of the cap, as in the case of a conventional vertical actuation configuration of a dispensing system. In order to avoid accidental opening of the dispensing member 1 at rest, it is possible for the flexible element 7 not to be in contact with the dispensing push button 3 at the bearing end stop 5 or at some other location of said push button, by leaving a space 15 and thus not interfering with the leak/tightness of the dispensing member 1 at rest.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a first variant of the present invention, according to which the flexible element 7 and the dispensing push button 3 from FIGS. 1 and 2 are combined into a single piece 15 which we will call an integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button. The operation is identical to the description of FIGS. 1 and 2. In the present variant, the flexible part of the integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15 has at least three points of flexing 12, 14 and 16 of the knee lever type. The advantage of this variant resides in the fact that, compared with a conventional vertically actuated version of a dispensing push button, the number of components is in this case equivalent to: A dispensing member 1 comprising an integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15 in the present version, a container 2 containing the fluid to be dispensed, and a cap 6 covering the integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15. This results in a significant economic saving in particular compared with all the other existing lateral actuation systems. A compensation spring 17 may be integrated onto the flexible part of the dispensing push button 15. These compensation springs 17 may be injected at the same time as the dispensing push button 15 or the flexible element 7 and thus form only one piece. These compensation springs 17 may be used in the two variants with a flexible part 7 integrated or not integrated into the dispensing push button. These compensation springs 17 are in permanent contact with the upper limit 8 of the cap 6 even in the rest position. These compensation springs 17 thus make it possible to permanently keep the dispensing push button 15 or the flexible element 7 against the upper limit 8 of the cap 6 even in the rest phase without in the process opening and actuating the dispensing member 1. They thus compensate inevitable play in the vertical assemblies and variable heights of the integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15. When a pressure is exerted on the two bearing surfaces 9, the compensation springs 17 are immediately squashed against the upper limit 8 of the cap 6 and the top of the flexible part 18 of the dispensing push button 15 or of the flexible part 7 immediately comes into abutment against the upper limit 18 of the cap 6. The advantage of these compensation springs is to avoid any movement or rocking of the flexible part 7 or of the integrated actuated dispensing push button 15 in the rest position.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second variant of the present invention. This variant is advantageous to implement in the case of luxury bottles and products. In this case, the two bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element 7 no longer project from the cap 6 but are aligned therewith. The bearing surfaces 9 are enlarged and widened by ears 19 so as to be coincident with the cap 6. Depending on the choices made in terms of appearance, the openings 10 may be enlarged and cover a large part of the flank of the cap and also appear on the top of said cap 6. These ears 19 of the bearing surfaces 9 may press against the flexible element 7 or against the integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15. Such an embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a third variant of the present invention. This variant allows another choice in terms of appearance and also makes it possible to be able to adapt to wider forms of cap 6 than before, it being possible for these to be encountered in particular on some perfume bottles, without modifying the shape of the original flexible element 7. In this case, the bearing surfaces 9 are in contact with the lateral push buttons 20 and 20 a which slide inside the cap 6 or specific arrangements 21. In this variant, the actuation of the dispensing member 1 by the thumb and index finger no longer takes place directly on the bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element but on the lateral push buttons 20 and 20 a. This variant is applicable both with the flexible element 7 and with the integrated laterally actuated dispensing push button 15.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a slight variation of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 describe an adaptation that is applicable to the different variants set out above. They show an outer cap 22 mounted on the cap 6, ideally by snap-fastening, by means for example of a groove and a circular ring 23. This outer cap 22 has one or more locking protrusions 24. This outer cap 22 is mounted on the cap 6 with the possibility of turning on said cap 6. This rotation of the outer cap 22 about the cap 6 has the purpose of locking and unlocking the dispensing member 1.

In the unlocked position, the bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element 7 are actuable and the opening 13 in the cap is visible. The lateral actuation system may be activated. If the outer cap 22 is turned into the locked position, the protrusions 24 fit into the space 25 located behind the bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element 7, thereby preventing the deformation of said flexible element 7 and thus the activation of the dispensing member 1. This adaptation thus makes it possible to prevent any accidental actuation of the dispensing member 1. During locking, the outer cap 22 may thus close the opening 13 created in the cap 6 to allow the diffusion of the fluid by the dispensing member 1 to pass through.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate another variant of the system according to the invention, the flexible element having four points of flexing. The number of points of flexing is not limited to two or four but depends on the profile chosen for the flexible element. 

1. A lateral actuation system for a device for dispensing fluid or viscous products, the dispensing device comprising: a container having an opening, a dispensing member of the valve or pump type being mounted in said opening, the dispensing member being covered by a movable push button having a lateral orifice, a pressure exerted on said push button activating the output of the fluid or viscous product from the container via the dispensing member, the lateral actuation system comprising: an upwardly closed cap which is fixed securely to the container and comprises an upper part integral with a side part, a flexible element forming a lever, bearing against the upper part of the cap and against the bearing zone of the end stop, the lever being able to pass from a rest position, in which the lever has a longitudinal size 11 and a transverse size t1, to a working position, in which the lever has a longitudinal size 12 and a transverse size t2, 11, 12, t1 and t2 being measured in a plane defined by the axes and and being such that 11<12 and t1<t2, the flexible element having at least two points of flexing, and in that the laterally dispensing movable push button is extended downwardly under the fluid output zone of the dispensing member in order to form a shoulder and the end stop, said end stop comprising an upper part integral with said push button and a lower part having a bearing zone.
 2. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible element has a plane of symmetry.
 3. The actuating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible element has two branches, each branch having a forearm having a first end bearing against the end stop and a second end articulated to an arm, each arm itself being articulated, either directly together, or to a base bearing against the cap.
 4. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap is perforated.
 5. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an outer cap mounted in a pivoting manner on the cap and comprising at least one locking protrusion that is able to lock the dispensing member.
 6. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible element has at least four points of flexing.
 7. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laterally dispensing push button and the flexible element form only one piece. 